Island



H. A. STEARNS.

Comforter.

No. 241,245. Patented May 10,1881,

WITNESSESi INVENTGRI N PETERS, PhokwLikhagrapher. Washingion. D, C.

UNITED STATES PATENT ,FEIeE.

HENRY A. STEARNS, OF LINCOLN, RHODE ISLAND.

COMFORTER.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 241,245, dated May 10, 1881. Application filed March 9, 1881. (No model.)

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, HENRY A. STEARNS, of Lincoln, in the county of Providence and State of Rhode Island, have invented a new and useful Improvement in Comforters; and I hereby declare that the following is a full, clear, and exact description of the same, reference being had to the accompanying drawings, forming part of this specification.

This invention has reference to what are known as comforters or quilts, which usually consist of two sheets of calico, silk, cloth, or similar material, with a lap or laps of carded cotton, wool, or similar material placed between the two outer sheets, the whole being secured together by sewing, stitching, or tying the same at intervals.

The intention consists in the improved and novel manner of securing the whole together by means of wire staples, as will be more fully set forth hereinafter.

Figure 1 is a perspective view of a comforter shown as folded together. Fig. 2 is an enlarged sectional view, showing the material forming the comforter secured together by means of wire staple. Fig. 3 is a sectional View, showing the wire staple clinched in a different manner, and Fig. 4 shows still another method of securing the wire staples. Fig. 5 is an enlarged "iew, showing a tuft of any suita ble material which is used to give a wider bearin g of the wire staple on the covering material.

Inthe drawings, a to represent the material forming the covering; 1) b, the elastic filling material; 0 c, the tufts, consisting of a number of twisted strands, usually of woolen yarn, secured in the center, and which readily disperse themselves in the form of tufts, as shown.

ddrepresentthewire staples passing through the tufts and the material of the comforter or quilt, securing the whole together. The tufts, acting as washers, distribute the strain over a larger surface, while they cover and protect the staples. The staples are made of light wire, and are secured by a machine which antomatically feeds the staples and tufts, and secures the whole by clinching the staple. The staples can be secured in much less time than that required to secure the tufts by sewing or tying, and they are secured more firmly. The staples are not liable to give way by use, and a comforter or quilt made in this manner is superior to a sewed or tied comforter, such as has been made heretofore. They can be made and sold at a lower price and are more durable.

In Figs. 2 and 3 wire staples are shown, the ends of which are turned over so as to firmly secure the whole together.

Instead of the staples, a wire may be passed straight through the comforter, the ends bent over the tufts and forced into the material, as is shown in Fig. 4, or the tuft on one side may be secured to a piece of wire which is inserted into the comforter, a tuft being placed on the other side and secured by the wire.

The tufts may be made of worsted, cloth, or any other suitable material, and buttons may take the place of tufts; but any hard substance is objectionable in a comforter.

Having thus described my invention, I claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent- 1. The method herein described for making comforters, the same consisting in securin g the material together by means of wire and tufts, as described.

2. As a new article of manufacture, a comforter the material of which is secured together at intervals by means of wire'staplcs or loops and tufts of any desired material, as described.

HENRY A. STEARNS.

Witnesses:

J osEPH A. MILLER, J. A. MILLER, Jr. 

